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Geesh, I feel like we're doing a spock mind meld here! My thoughts EXACTLY! I recently did some bikini contests which stomped my self-esteem into the ground as I got eliminated right away next to the other thin, petite, with big hooters type girls and I look all big and buff standing next to them, WAY more muscular (and lean). I felt really bad but then at the same time when I see these other skinny girls here in the gym, I feel strong and proud and I love it! And I STILL am not afraid to jump on a stage wearing a thong cause I know that even though I'm not a thin, petite woman with big hooters, at the same time I have nothing to be ashamed about! But at the same time I know there is still more work to be done as I'm STILL not satisfied. So I'm totally with ya girl!
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That one was great........

People always make fun of me the way that I eat and they say it must be sad and no fun at all to eat so many times and reeeaally no junk food, ice cream etc Well I tell them that I don't suffer at all and I actually like the way that I eat (yesterday I ate a chicken sandwich at 3pm and my hubby's grandmother was looking and telling me that it really wasn't time to eat and didn't I eat lunch?!!!
Grrrrr I was dead starving! lol)

Then people say okey, she (me!) can do it since she is slim and does all that sport! Geeez, those guys really doesn't understand much do they? Ah well, it's their problem after all, why should I feel ashamed or have to hide myself every time that I have to eat?!!!
Why are people so obsessed by food?

I had a client bringing his girl to the gym the other day. She is 9 years old. Anyway she did 10 mins on the stair master and then said proudly that she can NOW eat another croissant since she has been doing sport!!
Hmmmmm something is wrong here, people just don't understand how our bodies work and how to eat. But what scares me the most is that they don't really care.....

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by ***********:</font><hr /> Look at the most successful pros - most of them really look...well...****ty in the off season.....who looks the best offseason ...Shawn Ray and others...that is why their contest weight hasn't gone upin 10 years.......perhaps Shawn does not "supplement" to the same extent as the others, but there is a correlation between off season bulk and onstage beef.
<hr /></blockquote>

The reason Shawn Ray stayed at 215lbs is because it was a conciuos decision on the part of symmetry. He did not want to play the size game, beacuse, at 5ft 7" he new his best look was 210-215lbs. Had nothing to do with wanting to stay 'hot' off season.

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Mr O:</font><hr /> <blockquote><font class="small">posted by ***********:</font><hr /> Look at the most successful pros - most of them really look...well...****ty in the off season.....who looks the best offseason ...Shawn Ray and others...that is why their contest weight hasn't gone upin 10 years.......perhaps Shawn does not "supplement" to the same extent as the others, but there is a correlation between off season bulk and onstage beef.
<hr /></blockquote>

The reason Shawn Ray stayed at 215lbs is because it was a conciuos decision on the part of symmetry. He did not want to play the size game, beacuse, at 5ft 7" he new his best look was 210-215lbs. Had nothing to do with wanting to stay 'hot' off season. <hr /></blockquote>

I didn't write that, heck I don't know squat about the male professional bodybuilders. I copied that off another board.

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Philia2:</font><hr /> Then people say okey, she (me!) can do it since she is slim and does all that sport! Geeez, those guys really doesn't understand much do they? ...

Anyway she did 10 mins on the stair master and then said proudly that she can NOW eat another croissant since she has been doing sport!! <hr /></blockquote>

Yeah, I get the same thing. Even worse is that some of my family TRIES to get me to cheat telling me one little donut won't hurt and I can afford it cause I'm thin. So I'm thinking, well why do you think I AM this thin?! Like duh. And the other thing, they don't understand, one donut WILL hurt me cause with me it's NEVER just ONE! One turns into two, then three, then four! And before I know it, I'm feeling guilty as all heck because I scarfed down a whole bag or box of something! For me it's just better not to have that one. And I sure get sick of explaining that to people sometimes!

What's scary is that I'd eat junk food then figure, ah well, I'll just go burn it off skating or on my nordic track now. And then I wondered why in the heck I couldn't get "toned". OMG, I could tell you some stories, like about how I used to drink spoonfuls of Hershey's chocolate syrup cause I figured it was okay cause it's fat free and I could just burn off the calories skating or something, LMAO!

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by ***********:</font><hr /> <blockquote><font class="small">posted by Mr O:</font><hr /> <blockquote><font class="small">posted by ***********:</font><hr /> Look at the most successful pros - most of them really look...well...****ty in the off season.....who looks the best offseason ...Shawn Ray and others...that is why their contest weight hasn't gone upin 10 years.......perhaps Shawn does not "supplement" to the same extent as the others, but there is a correlation between off season bulk and onstage beef.
<hr /></blockquote>

The reason Shawn Ray stayed at 215lbs is because it was a conciuos decision on the part of symmetry. He did not want to play the size game, beacuse, at 5ft 7" he new his best look was 210-215lbs. Had nothing to do with wanting to stay 'hot' off season. <hr /></blockquote>

I didn't write that, heck I don't know squat about the male professional bodybuilders. I copied that off another board. <hr /></blockquote>

I know you didnt write it, I am sorry if I gave the impression that I thought you did. I just thought I would clarify a little....sorry.

Krypto~ Very good article!!
I've been out of the loop for about a week...putting in extra hours at work and training....can't forget the training!

I agree, it's very hard to maintain a "sleek" look after competition.
I myself went from 131.5 (10.5%BF in Mid April) the day i competed to 135lbs as week after the comp and 14.5%BF! In Mid July i had risen to 19% BF gaining 5lbs of new muscle.

You know i went to see my trainer a week ago and had lost 4% but had maintained my mass and still weighed in @ 140.
Although i look lean, i still feel very big in comparison to the girls i see every day in my gym.

I myself, feel that it is very difficult to maintain lower BF% in the off season...especially for most of us that have always been a little heavier..I don't know if it's the body's way of going back to that comfort level.
I had a doctor once that told me that my body knows what it's best weight is and once you reach that weight it will maintain it.
I'm not sure how much fact there is in that, but i can tell you that when i have hit plateau's in the past, i have held them for quite some time ~ even as much as a year w/o any drastic measures.
There would have been no way i could have gained any muscle w/o good supplements and of course my good ol' peanut butter. ( I literally ate a jar a week!) And even though i dropped that 4% recently, i still indulged in the stuff in place of my flax and olive oil.
I'm addicted, i'll admit it!! [img]/forum/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
I constantly get comments from people about how i eat and why i eat this way.
My own father said to me at Xmas last year ~ [img]/forum/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]
"Marg, you know, men don't like all that muscle on women..you shouldn't be lifting so much weight!!"
I thought i would just die! I politely told him:
"None of the men i know think that way, and if he doesn't respect or appreciate what i do, then he's not worth my time anyway"
I truly do become tired of feeling as though i have to justify my lifestyle.

I do know however, that when this comp. comes to a conclusion in October, i will relax and enjoy myself for a while. I may even gain a few pounds, but i will be comfortable and continue my workouts. If i gain a few pounds..so be it. I know how to eat for life and i definately train hard enough to maintain what i have.

Whatever i continue to do (i joined a cycling club...to train for a century ride next spring!! See, i've been busy girls! lol!) I know that i will always do what's right for my body and for me. I like how i look and who i am.
Ultimately, my opinion is the only one that really counts anyway. [img]/forum/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

<blockquote><font class="small">posted by Mr O:</font><hr /> I know you didnt write it, I am sorry if I gave the impression that I thought you did. I just thought I would clarify a little....sorry. <hr /></blockquote>

[ QUOTE ]
I myself went from 131.5 (10.5%BF in Mid April) the day i competed to 135lbs as week after the comp and 14.5%BF! In Mid July i had risen to 19% BF gaining 5lbs of new muscle.<hr /></blockquote>

I have a feeling come Oct - Feb when I am working to put on muscle, that my bodyfat will go up to about 19% as well as I've noticed that whenever I let up off my diet just a little for long enough, that is right where my body goes back to and seems to stay there.

[ QUOTE ]
Although i look lean, i still feel very big in comparison to the girls i see every day in my gym.<hr /></blockquote>

You and me both! And especially in certain mirrors, I see myself as looking like a muscle monster, lol!

[ QUOTE ]
I had a doctor once that told me that my body knows what it's best weight is and once you reach that weight it will maintain it.
I'm not sure how much fact there is in that, but i can tell you that when i have hit plateau's in the past, i have held them for quite some time ~ even as much as a year w/o any drastic measures.<hr /></blockquote>

I totally believe that. I believe the body has a comfort level set by your genetics. Reason I think that is because I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, go right back up to 140 lbs if I am not sticking to that Beverly diet to a "t"! And thruout this whole year that I've been cutting and writing my own diets, my body has maintained at 140 lbs even though I went from 22% body fat to 16.6%. I went on the Beverly diet for the 3 weeks before Nationals and got down to 136 but after a week of eating carbs for speed skating Nationals, I went right back up to, you guessed it, 140 lbs! And for one month last year I actually tried to bulk and I couldn't really get past 142 lbs. I have determined that my body LIKES being 139-142 lbs. I also think it is most comfortable at around 18-19% body fat as that is the level I seem to stabilize at. So for me to stay 15% or leaner, it's a fight all the time.

[ QUOTE ]
"Marg, you know, men don't like all that muscle on women..you shouldn't be lifting so much weight!!"
I thought i would just die! I politely told him:
"None of the men i know think that way, and if he doesn't respect or appreciate what i do, then he's not worth my time anyway"
I truly do become tired of feeling as though i have to justify my lifestyle.<hr /></blockquote>

Yeah, my family kinda freaked a bit when I told them I'm wanting to put on 7 lbs of muscle this winter. My aunt was like, "you're not gonna get all bulky looking like some of those women are you?" So I was thinking, so what if I do. But then I told her that I would most likely have to take steroids to get all bulky looking and no that's not the look I'm going for, more of the fitness competitor look (altho I am already bigger than most of them but I didn't tell her that, not like she'd understand "figure").

I wish you all the luck in gaining your 7lbs, you should be able to do it with no problem....I'm telling you~ the secret is peanut butter!!! lol! [img]/forum/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]

I saw your pics they are great! You worry too much, you have a great physic and adding to all that will be absolutely no problem!

As far as maintaining that 140 and 18-19% ~ ARE WE RELATED??? [img]/forum/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
I think so....somewhere back there in the relatives..there's a connection for sure! lol!

Have you see this month's issue of Muscle n Fitness?
there's a woman in there ~ she's 41 and weighs 140, a firefighter...
She looks incredible, and she's one inch shorter than me.
Just goes to prove...muscle is where it's at!!

lol!
Have a great day Krypto !
I'll be back when i get home from work.
margie